The YMCA Kosova Basketball Academy leaders believe that basketball programs provide an excellent means of developing a predisposition to play fairly. As this virtue develops, it can influence behavior in everyday life. The YMCA also believes that its sports programs can help people to grow personally, clarify values, improve relationships, appreciate diversity, develop leadership skills and have fun.

Our Mission

The YMCA Kosova Basketball Academy  is a community service organization which promotes positive values through sports that build spirit, mind and body.

Our principles

·               We emphasize on character development and believe that values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility, is an essential element of personal and professional development.

·               Everybody plays, everybody wins- at YMCA Basketball Academy.

·               We encourage our members: children, youth, adults and families to emphasize sportsmanship, fair play and teamwork.  

·               We include volunteers, coaches and officials training.

·               We emphasize safety and age-appropriate progressive skill development.

·               We are open to all segments of the community

Executive Staff

President: Muhamet Bajrami

Director: Bujar Pacolli

Address:

YMCA Basketball Academy

Ali Kelmendi 35

10 000 Prishtina, Kosova

+377 (0) 44 209897

ymca.basketballa@ymcaks.com

www.ymcaks.com

Skype: YMCASKY

Basketball History

Yes, it was at the International YMCA Training School that in December 1891, James Naismith invented the game of basketball, doing so at the demand of Luther Gulick, the director of the school. Gulick needed a game to occupy a class of incorrigibles -- 18 future YMCA directors who, more interested in rugby and football, didn't care for leapfrog, tumbling and other activities they were forced to do during the winter. Gulick, obviously out of patience with the group, gave Naismith two weeks to come up with a game to occupy them.

Naismith decided that the new game had to be physically active and simple to understand. It could not be rough, so no contact could be allowed. The ball could be passed but not carried. Goals at each end of the court would lend a degree of difficulty and give skill and science a role. Elevating the goal would eliminate rushes that could injure players, a problem in football and rugby.

Not only was basketball invented by a YMCA institution, but the game's first professional team came from a Y. The Trenton (N.J.) YMCA had fielded a basketball team since 1892 and in 1896 its team claimed to be the national champions after beating various other YMCA and college teams. The team then severed its ties with the Y.

1973 Youth Basketball Association (YBA) is developed in conjunction with the National Basketball Players Association (NBA) and provides the beginnings of YMCA youth sports as we know them today. Under John Ferrell’s leadership, YBA marks the first YMCA effort to train professional and volunteer leaders to conduct youth sports programs.

YMCA BASKETBALL ACADEMY  PROGRAM